by Callie Kanno
Idris stood again and began to pace slowly across the room. “So, assuming there was some sort of flaw that was forged into Savion, is there anything we can do to correct it?”
There was a heavy pause, and Idris felt Iona’s reluctance in answering him.
Yes…
“There is?” He looked down at the partisan excitedly. “What is it?”
It is possible for a weapon to be reforged. However, it is difficult and dangerous. Few have ever attempted it. It is easier to simply destroy a corrupt weapon.
Idris’s heart fell, heavy with disappointment. “Then there’s nothing I can do to help Hildar?”
No, farmer, Iona said kindly. There is nothing you can do for her right now.
Palti walked into the cottage carrying a small wooden case. Idris recognized it immediately as the case that normally held the necklace his mother had gotten from the Treasury. The case was secured with a lock, and the key now hung around Palti’s neck.
The senior Royal Guard didn’t say anything, but Idris knew Savion was now tucked into that case.
“Go to bed now, Idris,” Palti instructed as he knocked quietly on the queen’s door.
Idris doubted that he would be able to sleep after all that had happened that night, but he did as he was told and climbed into his hammock.
Chapter Thirty-Three: From the Marsh
It seemed to Idris he had only just dozed off when he was shaken awake by Palti the following morning. Hildar was pale and silent, while Palti and Farah were bustling about with their preparations to leave Rest Stone Valley.
When Zorina emerged from the bedroom, she trotted over to where Idris stood with a somber expression on her small face. “Mother says we are leaving. You must talk to her, Idris, and tell her we need to stay much longer. I have not met all of the animals yet!”
Palti saved Idris the trouble of explaining why they couldn’t stay. “We must keep you safe, your highness. We must go to a new hiding place.”
“But I like it here,” whined the princess. “No one here will hurt us.”
Palti smiled sadly. “We are not worried about these people hurting us, your highness. We are worried that others will come here and hurt everyone they find.”
That gave Zorina pause. “So… we must leave to keep the people here safe?”
“That is part of it,” acknowledged Palti.
The princess considered this. “I want everyone to be safe,” she said uncertainly, “but Cadell said that he would take me to see the horses on his brothers’ ranch today. There is a new foal.”
She turned her big eyes to her mother, who was standing in the doorway between the living room and the bedroom.
Queen Arminell regarded her child before looking to Palti. The Royal Guard shrugged.
“I suppose a few hours will not make much of a difference. It might be better to leave under the cover of darkness anyway.”
The queen returned her gaze to Zorina. “Very well,” she consented.
Zorina jumped up and down and squealed in delight. “I love horses the most,” she shouted.
Idris and the princess walked over to his family’s house to eat a quick breakfast before setting off. While Zorina settled down to be doted upon by Idris’s sisters, Cadell and Prydwen pulled Idris aside.
“What happened last night, son?” Cadell asked quietly. “I was certain the valley was under attack, and then your friend came and asked for a box with a lock on it.”
Idris took a deep breath, uncertain how much he should tell them and disliking the fact that he had to be careful in what he said to his parents.
You are protecting them, Iona said comfortingly.
Am I? Idris wondered in return.
“Hildar is having trouble controlling her weapon,” he began slowly. “Palti decided it would be best if the dagger was secured until we get back to Marath.”
Cadell’s brows came together sharply. “Are we in danger?”
Idris wanted to reassure them, but he didn’t know the answer himself.
“We will be leaving today to find a new place to hide the queen and princess,” he told his parents. “Everything here will go back to normal.”
Prydwen reached over and patted her son’s arm. “It will take a while for things around here to be normal again, my darling.”
Idris and Zorina spent the day with Idris’s father and uncles, riding horses and petting the new foal. Idris’s aunts and cousins all fawned over the young princess, and Zorina basked in the attention.
Cadell, Idris, and the princess set out to return to Cadell’s farm late in the afternoon with Zorina looking both tired and content.
“You are lucky, Idris,” she said wistfully. “I wish I could live here forever.”
He smiled down at her. “I think most girls here would say that you are the lucky one for being a princess.”
She looked thoughtful. “I suppose it is nice to have pretty dresses and to live in the Water Palace, but I still like it here better. Do you think Mommy and I can come and live here someday?”
“King Nikolas would miss you if you did,” Idris pointed out.
Zorina gave a careless shrug. “I do not think he would mind it as long as my brothers stayed with him.”
There was something about the matter-of-fact way in which the little girl spoke that made Idris’s chest contract with pity. It didn’t seem right that a daughter should feel she mattered less to her father than her brothers—even if it was true. Idris looked over at his father, and he could see by Cadell’s expression that he felt the same.
As Idris started to turn his gaze back to the young princess, something in the low mountains nearest to them caught his attention.
At first glance, Idris thought he saw the glint of armor, but he knew that couldn’t possibly be true. He looked again, straining his eyes to take in the details, and he saw that he had been right—it wasn’t armor.
Two-dozen men on horses were thundering down into the valley with their weapons drawn.
Run, farmer!
“Father,” Idris said, pointing.
Cadell’s eyes widened. “What in the world…?”
Idris scooped Zorina into his arms and broke into a run. They were still a fair distance from his father’s farm, and he knew that the only way they would make it to the safety of the house before the soldiers arrived was if the men were delayed by some miracle. Zorina wrapped her arms around him tightly, and he could hear his father’s footsteps keeping time with him as they ran.
Idris veered off the dirt road. He knew going through fields and hedges would make him lose precious time, but he also knew that he didn’t want to be caught out in the open when those soldiers arrived.
“Idris,” Cadell called breathlessly, “in there.”
He pointed to a woodpile that was stacked against a neighbor’s barn. Idris obeyed without thinking, helping the princess to squeeze into the narrow gap between the pile and the building. When Idris looked over his shoulder, he could see his father running on to carry warning to the queen.
“Idris,” Zorina said in a trembling whisper, “what is wrong?”
He hurriedly unbuckled his partisan from his back and slid it into the hiding place. Then he crawled in and tucked his legs up by his chin.
“Hush, Zorina,” he whispered, taking her hand. “We need to stay as quiet as possible.”
Her small fingers clenched his, and she pushed her face against his arm.
“What about Mommy?” she whimpered.
“My father has gone to warn them,” Idris reassured her.
“Will she know where we are hiding?” Zorina asked.
Idris gave her hand a squeeze. “He will tell her.”
The princess lifted her head to look at their surroundings. “How will everyone fit in here?”
He could see that she was genuinely concerned and he reassured her, “They will find a different place to hide.”
They both fell silent as the sound of hoof beats got closer.
The door of the neighbor’s house opened, and Idris knew that the farmer had come out to face the men on horses.
“Welcome, strangers,” the farmer said calmly. “What brings you to our home?”
“We are looking for your special guests,” rumbled the unfamiliar voice.
“Special guests?” The farmer sounded bewildered.
“Do not play the fool, old man,” the soldier snapped. “We saw the lights coming from this valley last night. We know there are magic users here.”
“I really do not know what you are talking about,” the farmer maintained. “We are just a small community of farmers.”
“Then why did we see two men and a child running when we rode down the mountain?” queried the stranger.
“You must have scared one of the youngsters,” the farmer answered. “We are not accustomed to seeing soldiers in these parts. No one comes here unless they are interested in buying grain or livestock.”
“Well, you will not have either for much longer,” the soldier said viciously. His next words made Idris turn cold. “Burn everything to the ground until we find them.”
Idris’s heart pounded frantically against his ribs. His family’s farm wasn’t very far away, and the enemy soldiers would reach them before Idris could. He knew he couldn’t stand by and watch while those men destroyed his home, and yet the words of his oath rang through his mind: No word is higher than that of the king, and all his wishes will be obeyed. I will place his life and the lives of his heirs above my own.
Princess Zorina’s face was buried against his arm. He could feel her trembling.
He didn’t know what to do.
Your family would not thank you to throw away their sacrifice by endangering the princess.
Idris felt a surge of helpless anger at Iona’s words, but he knew she was right. The citizens of Rest Stone Valley, including his family, had sworn to protect the queen and the princess. They had all welcomed the royals into the protection of their valley, and they would not forgive Idris if he put the princess in danger.
Idris heard the men’s coarse laughter mix with the sound of torches being lit. For several panicked moments Idris was certain that his hiding place would be set ablaze along with the barn, and he began looking for a way for the princess to escape.
The farmer cried out, and Idris’s hand clenched reflexively around the shaft of his partisan, and he clenched his teeth in fury.
Idris hated the men who were causing harm to his neighbor, but he hated himself more for doing nothing to prevent it.
He glanced quickly out of the woodpile to see if the way was clear of enemy soldiers, then he grabbed Zorina’s hand and led her into the barn. The soldiers hadn’t set it on fire yet, and Idris knew there was a small door at the rear of the structure.
Once they were out of sight, Idris strapped his partisan back into its holder and leaned down to speak to the princess.
“Zorina, we need to run. Now.”
She reached for Idris immediately and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Idris dashed through the barn’s back door and down the trail through the trees that eventually led to his father’s farm—the same trail he must have traveled hundreds of times over the years. He didn’t have to think about where he was going. His memory guided him over every dip in the ground and beneath every low-hanging branch.
When they finally reached the edge of the woods, there was a scene of chaos lying just beyond the trees.
His grandfather’s cottage was ablaze, and even from his place in the woods Idris could see it was too far gone to try and save. Idris’s brothers were rushing to get their livestock out of the burning barn, and his sisters were gathering up the chickens. Cadell and Prydwen were running to the animal troughs with buckets in hand, then rushing back to fling the water on the flames that were enveloping the house.
Adwen stood at a safe distance, crying hysterically and clinging to one of the chickens. Idris was certain the men had already passed through, so he hurried out of the covering of trees, running to Adwen. He set Zorina down so he could put his arms around his sister.
“I am here, Adwen. I am here.”
She looked up at him, her face smudged with ash and tears. “Oh, Idris! Look what they did to our home.”
Zorina put her hand on Adwen’s arm, stroking her sleeve. “Do not worry,” she said, her voice soothing and solemn both at once. “My daddy will send soldiers to punish those men, and then they will rebuild your home.”
Adwen’s tearful eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Zorina promised.
“Adwen,” Idris said gently, “where are the queen and the other Royal Guards?”
“Daddy came running and told them they needed to hide.” His sister loosened her hold on the chicken to point with a trembling finger. “They went that way.”
Idris nodded. “I need to go after them,” he told her.
Adwen hugged the chicken to her chest again. “Can you stop the fires, Idris? Can you use your magic?”
Idris stared at his burning childhood home.
You really cannot walk away, can you, farmer? Iona’s voice was kind, but there was an edge of reprimand.
Idris could feel the flow of Iona’s power.
Imagine the fire flowing toward you.
Idris took a deep breath and pictured the flames flying in his direction in flowing pillars. No sooner was the idea fixed in his mind than it began to happen. Juts of flame gathered into columns and rushed toward him. He heard a scream—Zorina or Adwen, or both of them at once.
Face me toward the fire, Iona commanded.
Idris grabbed the girls and turned his back to the incoming flames. Both girls were screaming now as they buried their faces in Idris’s chest.
The partisan grew so hot that Idris could feel it burning a line on his back, but there was no other heat. He lifted his head and looked over his shoulder.
Iona was glowing so brightly he could hardly look at her. Beyond, the flames were rushing toward them like a river that had broken free of a dam. But instead of pouring over Idris and the girls, the fire was flowing directly into the partisan. Iona was absorbing every spark and lick of flame.
Suddenly, it was over, and all that remained was smoke.
Idris remained kneeling for a moment, still holding on to Adwen and Zorina. The girls were still clutching his shirt, panting with terror. “Do not be scared,” he whispered to them. “It is over.” He loosened his hold and got unsteadily to his feet. He turned to face his family. All of them were staring at him with expressions of awe.
Adwen hugged him tightly around the waist. “Idris, you saved me!”
He reached down and smoothed her hair back from her face. “Iona saved you. She did most of the work. You should thank her, not me.”
His sister loosened her hold on him so she could pat the shaft of his polearm. “Thank you, Iona.”
Idris got the feeling that the partisan was surprised, but pleased.
“We need to go,” he said, and he wasn’t sure whether he was saying it to his family, to Zorina, or to himself.
Cadell and Prydwen rushed to Idris. Prydwen threw her arms around him. Cadell wrapped his arms around both of them at once. Idris could smell the smoke on their clothes. All three of them burst into tears, and Idris couldn’t help reflecting on how close he had come to losing the people he loved most.
He looked over to make sure each of his siblings was accounted for, and he noted that none of them seemed seriously injured. Idris marveled that they had been so fortunate.
We should not linger, Iona reminded him gently.
“I will find a way to let you know when we are safe,” Idris promised.
He pulled himself out of his parents’ arms and turned to lift Zorina again. His arms were sore from carrying her, but he knew this was the best way to move quickly and safely. He gave his family one last look and then ran in the direction Adwen had indicated.
They had barely passe
d beyond his family’s farm when a horse galloped into their path and forced Idris to skid to a halt.
The man riding the horse was a big brute, with a crooked nose and an unkempt thatch of brown hair. His unusual clothing was covered with mud. Idris guessed he was from Roshum, across the marshlands just east of Rest Stone Valley.
“I thought I saw signs of magic around here,” the man growled. He leered at the glittering partisan on Idris’s back, then at Zorina. “No need to guess the identity of that brat you are holding.”
The soldier raised his serrated sword, and Idris scrambled to set Zorina down and draw his weapon. He realized it was too late to block the blow that was coming, and he extended one arm to shield the princess from harm.
Before the sword could fall, the man went flying off his horse and slammed into a nearby tree.
Idris stared at the empty space that had recently been occupied, too stunned to make sense of what had happened. It wasn’t until he spotted Farah running toward them that he understood.
“Thank goodness you are safe,” Farah said as she slowed in front of them. “The queen is frantic with worry.”
“Where is Mommy?” Zorina demanded, scrambling out from behind Idris.
Farah gestured. “This way, your highness.”
It was a short journey to the abandoned shed where the queen was waiting with Palti and Hildar. As soon as they were in sight of the shed, Queen Arminell burst out and ran to embrace her child, falling to her knees on the dirt. She gathered Zorina up in her arms.
“We saw you running by,” Palti explained. “I sent Farah to bring you back.”
“It is a good thing you did,” Idris said. “Otherwise, I would have lost an arm at the very least.”
“Are you hurt, my darling?” the queen asked Zorina. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around the girl, as if she might slip away at any moment.
“No, Mommy,” Zorina answered. She drew back from her mother’s embrace to look at her, then to look up at Idris. “Idris protected me. He always protects me.”